Chapter 144: Lan Ran: Teacher Huangmu, You Schemed Me! Know This

Boom!

Accompanied by continuously trembling spiritual energy, the Dimensional Gate (Black Hollow) slowly opened before Captain‑Commander Huangmu and the other Captains of the Gotei 13; for a moment all the Captains present narrowed their eyes.

Today is the day the Void Realm Expeditionary Force returns; Huangmu, as the Captain‑Commander of Division 13, naturally gathered the Captains of the Gotei 13 to silently await at the Dimensional Gate the heroes of the Void Realm Expeditionary Force returning to the Soul Society, just as centuries ago the former Captain‑Commander Yuan Liuzhai had done for Huangmu.

Some of the Soul Reaper soldiers who have been honed by countless years of service in the Gotei 13 since centuries ago watched the scene before them, and their eyes instantly grew moist as the memories of that time resurfaced for everyone…

But as the years passed, the Captain‑Commander standing before the Captains changed from Yuan Liuzhai to Huangmu, and the Captains behind Yuan Liuzhai in the Gotei 13 also all changed in appearance; though they have read few books and know only a handful of characters, they clearly understand that this must be what is called inheritance!

"That Dimensional Gate feels… off somehow, I just have a bad feeling about it."

While serving as the new Division 12 Captain and also as Director of the Technical Development Bureau, Ye Zhou Tongshou, upon first seeing the Dimensional Gate prepared by Huangmu, immediately recognized that this gate was problematic and not a normal gate used by Soul Reapers.

"A Dimensional Gate that allows Captain‑rank Soul Reapers to pass through smoothly to the Void Realm and remain stable for a long time—I've never seen one before! It seems I'll need to set aside some time in the future to study the matter of Dimensional Gates properly~"

Ye Zhou Tongshou said, squinting slightly; although she is the Director of the Technical Development Bureau, her main focus is the Soul specialty, and the current project of the Bureau is to turn her discovered 'Temporary Soul' theory into a practical experiment. Consequently, she knows little about Dimensional Gates, but the ultra‑long‑range Dimensional Gate Huangmu used before everyone today captured her full attention.

"Umm…"

As for Fu Zhu and Jing Le standing beside Ye Zhou, after hearing her words they clicked their tongues in mild disapproval; knowing their master's quirks, they believed that the so‑called Dimensional Gate before them was probably nothing more than a 'Black Hollow' masquerading as a gate…

Given their master's temperament, whether it's the power of the Void or the legendary Metsuke Master's power, as long as it can help him, their master will use it without hesitation.

As for the Central Room 46, the notice they issued to the Gotei 13 explicitly forbids the use of Great Void power; to Captain‑Commander Huangmu, that rule is about as serious as a minor fart~

This is the current Captain‑Commander of their Gotei 13: a man who is unconventional, completely unaffected by rules, giving off an aura of carefree, unrestrained freedom, and also the greatest enemy in Central Room 46's eyes! Indeed, in Room 46's view, the greatest threat to the Soul Society among the Three Realms is not the Void Realm or the Human World, but lies within their damned Jingling Court.

Even after a hundred years, many of the sages of Room 46 have grown old and can no longer serve as sages; yet they still guard their decaying coffins within their families while hoarsely shouting, "Huangmu, pay back!!"

Cough cough…

Boom!!

As Captain‑Commander Huangmu and the Captains of the Gotei 13 gathered one after another.

The opened Dimensional Gate finally changed; ripples rose on its massive door, and then, led by Ku Wuxi, a group of Void Realm Expeditionary Force soldiers proudly strode out of the gate.

Although many of these soldiers are in poor condition—some are missing arms or legs—their spirit remains strong! As Ku Wuxi declared: "You lot, lift your heads! Remember, no matter how you performed in the Void Realm, once you return to the Soul Society you are heroes!"

"Hehe, you're back~"

Jing Le looked at Ku Wuxi, who stood at the front of the Expeditionary soldiers with disheveled hair, a carefree demeanor, and an air of boldness, and instantly smiled.

"I'll go back and drink with you~"

Ku Wuxi also spotted Jing Le in the crowd; he first mouthed words Jing Le could understand, then hurried to Huangmu's side, knelt on one knee before him, and loudly proclaimed: "Lord Huangmu, I am honored to fulfill my duty; over a hundred years I have fully explored the Void Realm! Here is the map I have drawn of the Void Realm's terrain, and besides the map, I have written the observations and reports of our Expeditionary Force during those hundred years!"

Ku Wuxi said, handing his notebook and a hand‑drawn Void Realm map to Huangmu.

"Oh? This map is crystal clear, and the notes are well organized."

"I must admit, Ku Wuxi, this is indeed a great achievement! From today onward, the Soul Reapers of the Jingling Court will no longer be ignorant of the Void Realm!"

Huangmu stared at the map and notebook in his hand, lost in thought.

Honestly, Huangmu never expected that the one who would ultimately backstab him turned out to be the simpleton standing before him!

Huangmu, at that moment, truly asked Ku Wuxi, "What? You, a big roughhand, still keep a diary? Someone who writes a diary—can they be a proper person? Who, a proper person, writes daily entries? Can the thoughts written in a diary truly be called thoughts? Some things you know clearly; if I know them clearly, isn't that enough? By making such a fuss, aren't you exposing my Void Realm to everyone else's eyes?!"

Indeed, in Huangmu's mind, the Void Realm had long since become his own Void Realm.

"Send this notebook to the Spiritual Arts Academy; Teacher Yuan Liuzhai will need it!"

Huangmu said, handing the notebook in his hand to a Division 1 soldier standing beside him.

At the same time, Huangmu plotted to make good use of Ku Wuxi's diary, determined to inform the entire Jingling Court of the Void's great power—especially to let Lan Ran know.

Huangmu looked forward to the day Lan Ran, using his and Pu Yuan's techniques, would strengthen Huangmu's Great Voids!

Years later, when Lan Ran learned the whole truth, he realized that even as a child his curiosity about the Void Realm had driven him to scour countless records!

All of this had been Huangmu's plan; even the information about the Void Realm that Lan Ran obtained had been meticulously prepared by Huangmu, all so that when he went to the Void Realm to strengthen the Great Voids…

Lan Ran glared at Huangmu in anger, shouting, "Teacher Huangmu, you plotted against me! You should know I was just a child who had just turned one hundred, my mind still immature."

Because of this, after Lan Ran became Captain‑Commander, he bitterly instituted the Soul Society Child Protection Act.

Huangmu replied, that's not his fault! After all, you're Lan Ran Zong You Xie.

A mature Lan Ran only schemes against others; he never gets schemed upon.

"Understood."

The soldier said, and his figure vanished before Huangmu.

"Ku Wuxi, today you not only led the Expeditionary Force back in triumph, but also charted the unknown Void Realm for our Jingling Court and recorded it! Henceforth, every soldier graduating from the Spiritual Arts Academy will no longer fear the Void Realm; each will fully understand it! This is something I never achieved even during my own Void Realm expeditions! Ku Wuxi, tell me, what reward do you desire? Anything you want, within my authority, I can grant."

Huangmu looked at Ku Wuxi and asked lightly.

"Lord Huangmu! Ku Wuxi needs no reward; I only wish to join Division 1 from today, pledge loyalty to you, and stay by your side!"

Ku Wuxi said, bowing deeply before Huangmu, speaking earnestly.

"Granted!"

Huangmu, hearing this, slightly lifted the corner of his mouth and gave a gentle nod.

"From today onward, I appoint you, Ku Wuxi, as the commander of a special squad under Division 1, the Great Void Eradication Squad! How does that sound?!"

Huangmu looked at Ku Wuxi and asked; although this matter had been agreed upon a hundred years ago, a formal procedure was still required.

"Captain‑Commander Huangmu, I accept!"

Ku Wuxi, hearing this, immediately exclaimed excitedly.

"Mm."

Huangmu, hearing this, gave a light nod and said nothing more.

"Captain‑Commander Huangmu, I have an unreasonable request, and hope you can grant it."

When Ku Wuxi officially joined Division 1, he immediately began addressing Huangmu as Captain‑Commander.

"Speak."

Huangmu, hearing this, continued. Honestly, he was in a good mood today; as long as Ku Wuxi's unreasonable request wasn't too outlandish, he would do his best to fulfill it~

"My Expeditionary soldiers of the Void Realm have stood with me in the Void Realm for a hundred years, facing life and death. Over a hundred years alongside the Great Voids, they have suffered many injuries—physically, internally, and mentally. I hope Captain‑Commander Huangmu can extend a modest aid to them."

Ku Wu Fu heard the words, facing Huang Mu, he poured out what was in his heart in an endless stream.

"Oh?!"

Huang Mu heard the words, and immediately gave Ku Wu Fu a meaningful glance.

Ku Wu Fu used his own rewards to exchange benefits for his subordinates, an act that would surely deeply move these brothers of his Expedition Army! It's likely that after Ku Wu Fu joins the First Squad, he could quickly raise a unit whose combat strength would not be inferior to any squad of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads except the First Squad.

"Simple."

Huang Mu said, directly releasing his Soul-Cutting Sword.

"Restore! Glazed Light."

As Huang Mu's words fell, glazed light from the sky poured down upon the crowd.

The exhausted Expedition Army soldiers, upon feeling the light pouring from the sky, immediately felt their utterly exhausted bodies become warm, and their mutilated physiques at that moment displayed a wondrous miracle: seeing their lost limbs gradually restored under the light's shine.

"My arm, bitten off by a Hollow, has grown back!"

"My eyes, my eyes can see again!"

"It's come back, everything has fully returned..."

"Is this the Captain-Commander's power? Is this the power of the strongest restoration-type Soul-Cutting Sword in Soul Society? It's incredibly strong! Unbelievable!"

In a moment, the Expedition Army soldiers burst into tears of joy, continually shouting cheers.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and thank the Captain-Commander!"

Ku Wu Fu glanced at the joyous Expedition Army soldiers behind him, first smiled slightly, then immediately sternly ordered.

"We thank you, Captain-Commander Huang Mu!"

As Ku Wu Fu's words fell, the Expedition Army soldiers immediately dropped to one knee, loudly congratulating Huang Mu.

"No need for formalities!"

Huang Mu heard the words, gave a faint smile. In the midst of speech, a massive Spiritual Pressure erupted from his body, lifting the Expedition Army soldiers and their commander Ku Wu Fu off the ground.

"All right! You soldiers who just returned from an expedition to the Hollow Realm must be about to burst from holding it in! No need to worry about us captains—go home and check on your families!"

After lifting everyone up, Huang Mu directly commanded the Expedition Army soldiers before him.

"All right, you may disperse."

After Huang Mu's words fell, Ku Wu Fu immediately commanded the Expedition Army soldiers.

"Captain! We..."

The Expedition Army soldiers, while they certainly missed their hometowns, felt even more reluctance toward their commander Ku Wu Fu, for if it weren't for this beast‑strong man before them, they likely could not have returned alive from the Hollow Realm! That place is truly perilous, like Hell itself.

"Don't you all, I can't remember, my soldiers being so hesitant!"

"I give you all one week's time, to let me, in this week, properly relax and rest! After one week, report to the First Squad under me! Didn't you hear Captain Huang Mu say? From today on, we are members of the First Squad."

Ku Wu Fu gave these soldiers no chance to speak, directly ordering.

"What? Report to the First Squad in a week?!"

"So you're still our commander, Lord Ku Wu Fu?"

The Expedition Army soldiers who had thought they would now part ways with Ku Wu Fu, upon hearing his words, immediately became excited, eagerly looking at him as he spoke.

"How? You don't want to?"

Ku Wu Fu heard the words, and deliberately threw the question back at them.

"Willing! Of course willing!"

The soldiers certainly wouldn't be unwilling, and immediately spoke excitedly.

"Then hurry home! Don't forget you only have one week..."

"Oh, right! I must remind you, while you were loitering in front of me, the Captain-Commander, and the captains of the Thirteen Squads, your week of leave has already seen twenty minutes pass."

Ku Wu Fu urged the soldiers before him.

"We understand! See you in a week, Captain Ku Wu Fu!"

The soldiers, after hearing Ku Wu Fu's words, dared not continue dawdling, and hurriedly ran toward their respective homes.

"Heh, a bunch of little brats."

Huang Mu saw Ku Wu Fu scolding his own soldiers, and instantly a faint smile appeared.

"All right, you all disperse as well."

Then Huang Mu spoke to the captains behind him.

"Yes, sir."

As Huang Mu's words fell, the captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads immediately headed toward their respective squad barracks; the captains present were all busy people, seeing that there was nothing for them here, they surely left first out of respect.

As the captains dispersed, the plaza once crowded with people now held only the Captain-Commander Huang Mu, the Vice Captain of the First Squad Saitou Bu Lao Bu Si, and the Captain of the Fourth Squad Maozhilie.

Also, the Commander of the Hollow Realm Expedition Army Ku Wu Fu, and the Deputy Commander Axiduo.

"You two aren't going to rest a bit?!"

Huang Mu looked at Ku Wu Fu and Axiduo, questioning them doubtfully.

Of course, while Huang Mu expressed doubt toward Ku Wu Fu and Axiduo, in his gaze toward Axiduo there was also a hint of curiosity! In his memory, if he recalled correctly, in the original story Axiduo should have remained in the Great Hollow Forest, battling the Great Hollows for life...

At the same time, Huang Mu remembered Axiduo's final fate, mentioned in the official novel Spirits Are Forever With You, i. e., the Kenpachi chapter! As a Brave One, Axiduo would keep fighting alongside the clone of the reborn Sa'er Aboluo, Xī'ēn Gelanzī.

It seems that with Huang Mu's intervention, after dispatching Ku Wu Fu to lead troops to the Hollow Realm to exterminate the Great Hollows, he not only changed Ku Wu Fu's own fate, but also changed Axiduo's fate.

Regarding this change, Huang Mu still views it favorably, after all, in the original story Axiduo was a tough guy who dared to engage in close combat with an unreleased Soul-Cutting Sword against Yaqiu Kas.

This shows Axiduo's talent in Soul-Cutting Fist Walking Ghost is not bad, and he has the potential to elevate his basic Soul Reaper abilities to a high level.

In Huang Mu's view, such combat power, just like in the original story, would be wasted if left to act on its own in the Hollow Realm; better to place him in Soul Society to serve the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and make use of him.

"Reporting to Captain-Commander, I and Axiduo have no family needing care!"

"So, I and Axiduo plan to first report to the First Squad barracks!"

Ku Wu Fu, upon hearing Huang Mu's words, immediately replied.

Alright! Do as you please.

Araki heard this and merely nodded lightly. Then he said no more……

Thank you, Captain-General Araki.

Kuwushi and Axidou, upon hearing this, immediately bowed deeply to Araki.

However, what Araki did not know was that it was not because he had dispatched someone as strong as Kuwushi to the Hollow Circle, thereby changing Axidou's fate of staying there!

But rather, it was the insurance Araki placed on the soldiers of the Hollow Circle Expedition Army, which could help them recover from fatal wounds at the moment they were inflicted……

It let Axidou escape the fate, depicted in the original work, of watching his comrades one by one meet their warrior destinies, thereby also freeing Axidou from the destiny of spending his life fighting in the Great Hollow Forest alongside Jilian.

Just like that……

Araki, Saito Immortal, U no Hana Retsu, plus Kuwushi and Axidou—five people—strolled leisurely through the Tranquil Spirit Court and returned to the quarters of the First Division.

Tsk~

This made Araki frown involuntarily, not knowing whether Kuwushi and Axidou truly lacked perceptiveness or were pretending to, as they kept walking ahead of him, which was really a buzzkill……

Could it be that these two idiots haven't realized that the reason Araki walks so slowly is to let those two fools go ahead, so he can then enjoy a pleasant outing with U no Hana Retsu and Saito Immortal?!

Captain Araki, I actually have one more request; I hope you can grant it……

Just as Araki and the others were about to enter the First Division's quarters, Kuwushi stepped before Araki and asked.

Speak.

After hearing Kuwushi's words, Araki replied impatiently.

I hope you can fight me again!

I have trained for over a hundred years in the Hollow Circle and believe my strength has made great leaps!

So I hope you can properly match me again, so I can feel the gap between us.

Kuwushi spoke to Araki solemnly and earnestly.

Good.

Upon hearing this, Araki decided to indulge Kuwushi and softly replied.

Born to slaughter omens, revere darkness and aging's farewell, Hunger's Corridor!!

The instant Araki finished speaking, Kuwushi swiftly drew his Soul-Cutting Sword from his waist and shouted loudly.

As Kuwushi's words fell, a black light enveloped Araki and the others; the next second, over forty white spheres, each about Kuwushi's height and as big as a polar bear, with gaping bloody mouths, floated around Araki, ready to devour him at any moment……

Araki looked at these noseless, eyeless, limbless white spheres drifting in midair, each with just a huge mouth, and suddenly recalled an old game called Pac-Man, aka the Dot-Eater—oh, right, given the current timeline, it should be a future game~

Indeed, you've improved!

Araki looked at the white spheres, tentatively calling them white Pac-Men, and saw their number was a dozen or more than he'd expected, showing that Kuwushi had not slackened in his century in the Hollow Circle and had greatly improved his strength! Yet Araki knew this was not yet the limit of Kuwushi's initial release.

But it's not enough……

Thus, Araki spoke calmly and drew his Soul-Cutting Sword from his waist.

God Avoid!

Immediately, a black slash shot toward Kuwushi.

Watch me dodge!

Kuwushi had anticipated Araki's attack and said he would move to the side to evade the slash.

If he could dodge it, then it wouldn't be God Avoid……

The meaning of 'God Avoid' is that nothing can evade it except a god.

Araki watched Kuwushi's movement and gave a light smile.

Boom!

As Araki's words fell, Kuwushi flew into the sky once more; at the very moment Kuwushi took flight, the Pac-Men he had summoned vanished without a trace……

Kuwushi had gotten stronger, but then he was instantly defeated—nothing much to say……

Axidou, go pick up your captain!

After Araki instantly killed Kuwushi, he slowly sheathed his sword and softly told Axidou.

Yes, sir!

Upon hearing this, Axidou immediately chased after the meteor-like Kuwushi, running outward from the Tranquil Spirit Court.

All right, now no one's disturbing us here~

After doing all that, Araki took hold of U no Hana Retsu's soft, delicate, pale hand.

Next, Araki's plan is to return to the rear hall of the captain's quarters and then have a damn good training session!